Chelsea drew 1-1 with Krasnodar in a Champions League match with little riding on it after Jorginho drew them level from the penalty spot.
Frank Lampard made 10 changes from the team that beat Leeds on Saturday, and this version of Chelsea never looked like a fluid. When Krasnodar took the lead, on 24 minutes, it was not undeserved.
After Cristian Ramirez burst forward down the left, he picked out Viktor Claesson who in turn helped the ball on to Remy Cabella, in space in the Chelsea box, who fired a low shot home.
The lead lasted just four minutes though, as Tammy Abraham was soon pulled back as he turned to shoot in the visitors’ box. Jorginho converted the resulting penalty with a trademark skip.
Tammy Abraham had Chelsea’s best chance to win it, seizing on a Ramirez mistake to run through on goal, but Yevgeni Gorodov denied the striker with his legs.
Billy Gilmour was making his first Chelsea start since July, while fellow 19-year-old Tino Anjorin made his first senior start. Gilmour was sharp in central midfield and among the Blues’ brighter spots, while Anjorin was unspectacular but not overmatched.
Chelsea knew before kick-off that they would finish top of Group E, while Krasnodar ends up third and will enter the Europa League at the round-of-32 stage.
